The Second Half of 2024 Was Very Productive for Our Company
Interview: Tuğba Karademir
Ali Karen, Chairman of the Board of Polteks, said, “Especially the second half of 2024 was very productive for our company. The annual production capacity of our company continues to grow with the commissioning of our second production facility in the last quarter of 2024.”
Founded in Bursa in 1999, Polteks company started its activities with molding, PV parts and cylinder production in its first years. Later, the company, which produced cylinder-based machines, especially calender machines for the textile industry, reached the leading position in the sector with its inflatable roller, Nippol-I cylinder and Nippol-II cylinder models after the classic calenders. Nippol roller technologies are used in calender machines, which are used in textile dyehouses and are very important in giving the fabric its final form.
We interviewed with Ali Karen, Chairman of the Board of Polteks, for our Tekstil Teknoloji magazine. Karen made statements about the products recently developed by Polteks, the advantages it provide to users, export markets and the company’s plans.
How was 2024 for Polteks? Can you explain it with your production capacity, number of employment, and export figures?
Especially the second half of 2024 was very productive for our company. Polteks Tekstil Makineleri San. Ltd. Sti. We have made new investments to increase our production capacity in 2024. Our company’s annual production capacity continues to grow with the commissioning of our second production facility in the last quarter of 2024. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, our company continues to be a source of pride for our national economy with the increase in the number of employment and export figures. We can proudly say that Polteks has increased its production capacity in 2024 and has performed in line with the general employment and export trends of the Turkish machinery industry.
“We attach great importance to university and industry collaborations”
The use of technology in the textile industry is increasing every year. As Polteks, how do you follow these technological developments and integrate them into your new product development processes?
Establishing our R&D center allows us to develop innovative solutions and integrate new technologies into our processes and products. We also follow the sector’s technology trends by participating in national and international textile fairs. With digitalization, we continue to work to increase production process efficiency and reduce error rates. In particular, we attach great importance to university and industry collaborations.
Polteks exports to 25 countries. What are the challenges and opportunities that come with such a wide range of coverage? In addition to the countries that Polteks currently exports to, what new markets do you target in the future?
Polteks’ exports to 25 countries show that the company has a large customer base in international markets. This expansion brings with it both opportunities and challenges.
Our market diversity and the recognition of our brand in the international market stand out among the opportunities we offer to our customers. Relationships with customers and business partners in different countries can contribute to innovation and product development. Besides; There are also difficulties such as shipping products to different geographies, logistics costs, each country’s own cultural norms and legal regulations, and struggling with different competitors in international markets. As Polteks, we continue to work on this path as our future goal is to continue to open up in the world market.
“Our Achievements in the Field of R&D Inspire Other Companies”
How did competing with your major competitors around the world become a source of motivation for Polteks? What are the factors that enable Polteks to make a difference in this highly competitive sector?
Polteks stands out with its innovative and technology-oriented approach in the Turkish cylinder manufacturing and textile machinery sector. The importance we attach to R&D studies and the fact that we closely follow the developments in the sector make Polteks one of the leading companies. In particular, its ability to produce special cylinders, its ability to design special machines according to the wishes of its customers, and its expertise in product development set an example for other companies in the sector. In addition, Polteks’ achievements in the field of R&D inspire other companies in the sector. This leadership and innovative approach contributes to the Turkish machinery and cylinder industry to a stronger position in global markets.
The lack of a qualified workforce in the textile industry is an important problem. As Polteks, do you have any projects to contribute to education in this field? What competencies do you think young people need to gain to be successful in the sector?
It is a significant problem in the qualified workforce, especially in positions that require technical knowledge and professional competence. We support all kinds of projects for young people to participate in employment and we are open to all kinds of collaborations with universities and chambers of industry.
In recent years, Polteks has developed significant innovations in-cylinder technologies. Can you tell us more about your new technologies?
The roll system allows to prevent linear pressure differences at the edge and middle by using pressure differences. The double Piston Structure, press adjustment system, synchronized movement, and sealing system ensure efficient and reliable operation of the S-Roll system.
In technical textiles, we offer different solutions according to customer needs. Especially for the technical textile industry, we have developed a zone-controlled Nippol fog system. Pistons can be grouped in rolls and divided into zones. Each zone can be controlled individually and the pressure of each zone can be adjusted automatically. Thanks to the pistons in the Nippol system, the pressure distribution in the system can be adjusted automatically. Thanks to the Nippol-II system, there are pistons on both the upper and lower sides and pressure can be applied to both sides.
